Xmachine f for picking up rocks from a



April 22, 1- M. J. WOZNACK MACHINE FOR PICKING UP ROCKS FROM A HIGHWAYFiled July 51. 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATESMACHINE FOR PICKING UP ROCKS FROM A HIGHWAY Michael J. Woznack,Escondido, Calif.

Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,475

Claims.

moderate sized boulders causing these to be de- 1' acteristic of myinvention relates to rotating the teeth so that when in contact with theground they move in a forward direction, that is, the direction oftravel of the machine, the teeth of course moving forwardly at a muchhigher speed than the rate of forward progression of the machine,therefore my invention involves a mechanism for rotating the teeth on anaxis transverse to the machine at a sufficiently high rate of speed tonot only dislodge the stones but to cause these to be picked up anddischarged into a chute. Considered in further detail, my inventionemploys one or more rotatable drums mounted on a transverse shaft oraxle and each drum having a plurality of spaced stone-loosening andpicking teeth, the teeth being spaced not only longitudinally butcircumferentially to the drum. A further feature of my inventioninvolves a mounting for the shaft and hence the drums relative to theframe of the vehicle so that the shaft and hence the teeth may belowered or raised and in accordance with the depth desired in the cutand at the same time the axle or shaft is given a swinging movementrelative to a horizontal trunnion mounted in the frame of the vehicle,this being to maintain a constant length of sprocket chain drive fromthe power transmission mechanism and also from the shaft to a secondarydrive for an endless belt conveyor.

Another feature of my invention relates to the discharging of the stonesloosened and picked up by the rotating set of teeth into a chute inwhich feature a trailing guide plate drags from the chute to the groundto prevent the stones being projected forwardly and to cause these to beelevated by the picker teeth. A further detail of my invention relatesto the particular mounting of an endless belt conveyor preferably of theslat type on which the stones are dumped from thechute and carried bythe'upper run for discharge into a truck. In this case a pivoted cradlearm maintains a constant length of a sprocket chain drive for theendless belt conveyor.

Another feature of my invention relates to the frame construction of themachine being such that it may be connected to and towed from a truckwhich receives the load of stones and the power drive to the pickingteeth and the rock elevator is from the ground wheels, preferably therear wheels of the machine. By this construction and using the desiredgear ratio together with preferably a sprocket chain drive to theoperating equipment, the desired speed of rota.- tion of the pickingteeth may be developed without the necessity of mounting a specialengine on the frame of the picker to operate the picking teeth.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan taken in the direction of the arrow 1 of Fig. 2 withparts broken away and the arrangement of the picking teeth being shownin diagram. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 4 showingthe front of one of the detachable teeth with the portion of the drumshown in'section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the tooth taken in the direction of thearrow 4 of Fig. 3 with the drum being shown. in section.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine is of a type intended tobe towed behind aftruck which receives the load and therefore the frameand the running gear are of simple construction. The frame or chassis ofthe machine designated H has side beams l2 preferably channelsconverging towards the front at l3 and having a front cross beam M and arear cross beam l5. Intermediate braces are omitted for sake. ofclarity. A front sub frame IE-pro-vides a mounting for the front axle iiin which are mounted the front wheels, these being steered by aconnecting link and steering spindles designated by the assembly IS. Themachine 'is towed in any suitable manner by means of a tow bar I9. Therear axle 20 is mounted in a fixed positionrelative to the frame in anyconventional manner and has the ground wheels 2! freely rotatablethereon. Such wheels nay have cleats or the like.

The rock picker assembly 'designated iiil has a substantialnon-rotatable axle 3i which extends transversely of the machine belowthe frame" the center of which is the shaft 44 due to the use of theradius arms 40. These radius arms retain the drive chain 95 always atthe proper length. Likewise the forward radius arms '45 maintain thedrive chain I02 at the proper length and cause a forward and rearwardoscillating action of the shaft 48 with its sprocket mounted thereon,this being on the pivot formed by the shaft 56 which has the conveyoroperating drum mounted thereon. Thus although the conveyor is located ina relatively fixed position, the drum with the picking teeth may beraised and lowered and this without interfering with the hopper I or theapron I2I. The stones loosened from the rod are in a sense kickedforwardly and upwardly being guided by the apron I2I until they reachthe edge of the chute. In such position the teeth have a slight downwardinclination tending to facilitate the rocks rolling off the teeth,however the projecting motion and impulse given to the loosened stonesand rocks causes their deposit in the chute and thus on to the endlessbelt conveyor. The clutch assemblies 86 of which there are two, areprovided to allow having a positive or an open drive to either of thetwo drums 6|] and BI when the machine is making a sharp turn. In theillustration the drive to the conveyor is shown as taking all the powerdrive to the drum GI but'for the shoit period of time in which themachine is making a sharp turn, the conveyor may be stationary ifdesired. For ordinary curves in a highway however, both clutches may bein closed position, the slight slippage of one drum relative to theother being immaterial.

In view of the fact that the teeth are subject to severe wear inoperating through the ground and loosening rocks and stones of thedesired size, it is desirable that these be readily removable.Therefore, I prefer afconstruction of the removable teeth as illustratedin Fig. 4, the individual tooth being designated by the numeral 65. Inthis construction each tooth may be considered as having a shank I witha substantially flat front face I3I, a curved relief I32 at the backleading to the tip end I33. An abutment shoe I34 extends rearwardly andhas a curved face I35 conforming to the curvature of the drum. Acontinuation of the stem designated the inserted end I36 passes throughan opening I31 in the drum. This opening preferably has a radial rearedge I38 on one side and V a convex curved edge I39 on the forward edge.

A locking hook I40 of the tooth extends forwardly engaging the inside ofthe drum. The tooth isprovided with a boss I4I on its forward face, thishaving an undercut wedge shaped surface I42. A wedge I43 somewhattriangular in section is fitted with its lower surface I44 in contactwith the drum and a vertical face I45 in contact with the face I3I ofthe tooth, there being an eye fitting in the undercutting surface I42.The wedge is inserted from one side and driven tight into place. It isthen held by a pin I46 having a tight driven fit through a perforationI41 in the wedge and a perforation I48 in the rum. It will be noted thatthe teeth have practically parallel side faces I49. By this constructionit will be seen that the teeth may be readily inserted and removed andthe wedge blocks I43 used over and over again with new teeth or teethwhich have been built up with a hard wearing metal.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axle,a pair of screws swivelly mounted on opposite sides of the frame andeach having a connection to the axle to raise and lower such axle, apair of drums rotatably mounted on the axle, each drum having a seriesof rock picking teeth arranged circumferentially and longitudinallythereof, a countershaft journalled in the frame and transverse thereof,a radius rod on each side of the frame having end connections aligningwith the axis of the countershaft and of the axle, a sprocket chaindrive between the countershaft and each drum on each side of the frameeach with a clutch and means to rotate the countershaft, the driverotatingthe drum whereby the teeth in proximity to the ground move in aforward direction at a higher speed than the forward movement of thevehicle.

2. In a device as described and claimed in claim 1, a subframe connectedto the vehicle frame and having the lower end of an endless beltconveyor journalled adjacent the bottom of the subfram-e on a lowersprocket shaft, a rocking arm extending upwardly from said lower shaft,an upper sprocket shaft connected to the upper end of the said arm, aradius arm from the upper sprocket shaft to said axle and a sprocketchain drive from at least one of the drums to a sprocket on the uppersprocket shaft and a sprocket chain drive from a sprocket on such uppersprocket shaft to the lower sprocket shaft. I

3. In a device as described and claimed in claim 1, a subframe connectedto the vehicle frame and having the lower end of an endless beltconveyor journalled adjacent the bottom of the subframe on a lowersprocket shaft, a rocking arm extending upwardly from said lower shaft,an upper sprocket shaft connected to the upper end of the said arm, aradius arm from the upper sprocket shaft to said axle and a sprocketchain drive from at least one of the drums to a sprocket en the uppersprocket shaft and a sprocket chain drive from a sprocket on such uppersprocket shaft to the lower sprocket shaft, a chute attached to thesubframeand positioned to discharge on the upper run of the conveyor, anapron connected to the chute positioned to guide rocks elevated by theteeth into the chute and hence to the conveyor.

4. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle has a pair ofdrive wheels at the rear, a vehicle frame, a towing means and steeringwheels at the front combined with a transverse axle, a pair of screwseach mounted in a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle wherebythe axle may be raised and lowered, two drums mounted for rotation onthe axle, each drum having a series of rock picking teeth positionedcircumferentially and longitudinally thereof in helical rows, acountershaft journalled transversely of the frame, a gear drive fromeach rear wheel to the countershaft, a radius rod on each side of theframe having end connections align ing with the countershaft and theaxle, a first sprocket and sprocket chain drive from the countershaft toeach drum, each drive having a clutch therein, an endless belt type ofconveyor, means to drive said conveyor from the rear wheels and means toguide rocks elevated by the picking teeth to the conveyor, the drive tothe picking teeth rotating the teeth adjacent the ground in a forwarddirection at a higher speed than the forward movement of the vehicle.

5. In a device as described and claimed in claim 4, the conveyor, beingpositioned with a drum at its lower end in proximity to the toothed drumbut forward thereof, the upper. end of the conveyor being adapted todischarge rocks into a towing truck and means to guide and deposit rockselevated by the picking teeth on the upper run of the conveyor. v

6. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axlehaving a vertical adjustment connecting to said frame, a first radiusrod assembly pivotally connecting the axle to the frame, a drum mountedon the axle and having a plurality of circumferentially andlongitudinally positioned rock picking teeth, a drive means to rotatethe drum with the teeth adjacent the ground moving in a forwarddirection at a higher speed than the forward progress of the vehicle, anendless type of conveyor positioned to receive the rocks, a driving drumover which the conveyor operates, a second radius rod connected to theaxle, a rocking arm pivoted on the axis of said drum, a pivot for thesecond radius rod and said arm, a gear mounted on said pivot and a driveconnection from the said axle to said gear and from said gear to saiddrum.

'7. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axlehaving a vertical adjustment connecting to said frame, a first radiusrod assembly pivotally connecting the axle to the frame, a drum mountedon the axle and having a plurality of circumferentially andlongitudinally positioned rock picking teeth, a drive means to rotatethe drum with the teeth adjacent the ground moving in a forwarddirection at a higher speed than the forward progress of the vehicle, asecondary frame connected to the vehicle frame and having a chutemounted thereon, an apron pivotally connected to the chute to guiderocks removed from the ground by the teeth to the said chute, an endlesstype of conveyor positioned to receive the rocks discharged from thechute, a driving drum over which the conveyor operates, a second radiusrod connected to the axle, a rocking arm pivoted on the axis of saiddrum, a pivot for the second radius rod and said arm, a gear mounted onsaid pivot and a drive connection from the said axle to said gear andfrom said gear to said drum,

8. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle is provided witha frame combined with a transverse shaft, a pair of screws each mountedon a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle and a pivotingmounting for each screw connected to the frame whereby the axle may beraised and lowered, a pair of radius rods having a pivotal connection tothe said axle and to the frame, a drive connection from the frame to theaxle, the drum operatively connected to the axle, such drum having aseries of rock picking teeth positioned circumferentially andlongitudinally, the teeth of the drum in contact with the ground beingdriven in a forward direction at a higher speed than the progressivemotion of the vehicle over the ground.

9. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle is provided witha frame combined with a transverse shaft, a pair of screws each mountedon a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle and a pivotingmounting for each screw connected to the frame whereby the axle may beraised and lowered, a pair of radius rods having a pivotal connection tothe said axle and to the frame, a drive connection from the frame to'theaxle, the drum operatively connected to the axle, such drum having aseries of rock picking teeth positioned circumferentially andlongitudinally, the teeth of the drum in contact with the ground beingdriven in a forward direction at a higher speed than the progressivemotion of the vehicle over the ground, a driving drum, an endless belttype of conveyor operating thereover, the drum being connected to theframe, a gear shiftably mounted as to the frame and a drive connectionfrom the axle to the said gear and from the said gear to the drivingdrum.

10. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axlehaving a vertical adjustment as to the frame, a pair of drums rotatablymounted on the axle, a common drive shaft with means to rotate the same,a clutch and drive connection between said shaft and each of the drumsto at will rotate one drum and retain another drum stationary, each drumhaving a plurality of circumferentially and longitudinally positionedrock picking teeth, the drive connection rotating the teeth adjacent theground in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forwardprogress of the vehicle, a secondary frame connected to the vehicleframe and having a chute mounted thereon, an apron pivotally connectedto the rear end of the chute to guide rocks removed from the ground bythe teeth to the said chute, an endless type of conveyor positioned toreceive rocks discharged from the chute and a drive connection for theelevator from the said drive shaft.

' MICHAEL J. WOZNACK.

'April 22, 1941. w. F. ASTLEY 2,239,281

' HEAT INSULATING TAPE L Filed Oci. 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l r '7 as 263 7 Z3 21 6 z wezc zaz?

